NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-21-2025 9PM EDT

Episode Date: May 22, 2025

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These days, with all the information coming at you, it can be hard to know what's accurate, what's not, and what's worth your time. Here to help you navigate it all is 1A. Five days a week, the 1A podcast provides a forum for curious minds to explore different angles on the biggest headlines and give you a more balanced take on what's happening. Listen to the 1A podcast from NPR and WAMU. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. A federal judge in Boston says the Trump administration

violated his order requiring migrants being deported to countries that are not their own be given enough time to challenge their removal. NPR's Toby Smith reports those responsible may face criminal penalties. Eight migrants were flown out of the U.S. 17 hours after they were told they were being deported to South Sudan. Government lawyers argue that was enough time for them to raise concerns about their safety,

but none did. In a stern rebuke, federal judge Brian Murphy said officials unquestionably violated his order to ensure due process, and he wants DHS to hear any concerns from the men now, either back in the U.S. or where they are, which remains unclear. Tina Real-Muto, a lawyer for the migrants, is skeptical. TINA REAL-MUTO, DHS Lawyer We think that will be a legal and logistical nightmare when we have concerns.

TINA REAL-MUTO Government attorneys meantime raise concerns for the safety of the ICE agents holding what officials have described as criminals and barbaric monsters. Tovia Smith, NPR News, Boston. Penn State is weighing a plan to shut down seven of its 19 campuses. The decision comes as the university faces serious enrollment declines, which NPR's Jahnke Method reports is part of a broader pattern in higher education. The Penn State governing board will soon decide the fate of the seven campuses and the future of the state school.

The board's proposal to do so cited challenges including quote, declining enrollment, stagnant state funding, rising operational costs. The proposal also says Penn State is not alone. The problem facing universities comes from what's called the enrollment cliff. There are fewer high school graduates heading to college, both because of lower birth rates and because more students are opting for alternatives to college. In the coming years, many higher education institutions will face similar existential decisions.

Penn State's governing board will vote on the potential closures Thursday evening. Janaki Mehta and PR News. The ongoing uncertainty over President Trump's tax and spending cut plan, along with the fact that it appears his so-called big, beautiful bill will only add to the nation's deficit rattled Wall Street today. Stocks slumped as bond yields climbed. NPR's Maria Aspin says uncertainty over the budget, along with inflation worries, fears of recession and Trump's tariff war is creating a climate for investors to look for other places to park their money.

Investors are worried that the United States is in trouble, and so they're selling things that are tied to its economy. I talked to Winnie Caesar, who's the global head of strategy at credit sites, and this is how she put it. The whole change in narrative around US economic exceptionalism and just a general perception that the US is perhaps a riskier place to park your cash than it was six months ago. And this all does come back to these tariffs. NPR's Maria Aspin, the Dow plunged more than 800 points today, the NASDAQ was down 270 points.

This is NPR. It now appears most of the book titles pulled from the U.S. Naval Academy Library and Trump Administration's DEI purge are back on the shelves. Officials say all but a few of the 400 books were moved because they dealt with anti-racism or gender issues and have been returned after a Pentagon order. Defense officials say about 20 books from the Academy's library are now earmarked for review. Administration officials had initially called for any books at military academies dealing with diversity, equity and inclusion to be removed. The mayor of St. Louis has placed the city's emergency management commissioner on leave after the outdoor warning sirens failed to sound before Friday's tornado.

Rachel Lippman has more from St. Louis. Mayor Kara Spencer says Commissioner Sarah Russell and their staff were at an off-site meeting as the storm was moving into the area. That meant they were not in a position to activate the sirens and a request to the St. Louis Fire Department to do the job instead was not clear. Spencer says she is shocked and horrified at the system's failure. But I also want to be clear that I am confident in what we have done over the last 48 hours to ensure that we can reliably activate the system should we need to. Spencer says she is arranging for a full outside review. The storm killed five people in St. Louis and caused at least a billion dollars in damage. For NPR News, I'm Rachel Lipman in St. Louis and caused at least a billion dollars in damage.

For NPR News, I'm Rachel Lipman in St. Louis. Critical futures prices move lower amid continued global uncertainties, including talks with Iran about its disputed nuclear program. Oil fell 47 cents a barrel to settle at $61.57 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things and other currencies. York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.